Gibbs has never let Tony see his real self for fear of losing him. Yet, Gibbs is losing Tony all the same, to EJ Barrett. Could telling the truth help Gibbs keep Tony? Or it will just make leave him for good? A TIBBS SLASH story with a sci-fi theme.

Gibbs was in his kitchen, tidying it when he heard his front door open and close. He didn't need turning around to know it was Tony. Cobb had been killed two days before, they had buried Mike that morning and Barrett and Cade had left the office. He had known it would be just a matter of time before the human came to visit him so they could have the long conversation Gibbs had promised him.

"Hello Boss," Tony walking into the living room just as Gibbs left the kitchen. "Guess you know why I'm here."

Gibbs just looked at him as he sat on the couch and Tony shook his head.

"Of course you know. You always know everything, including the fact EJ was the former SecNav's niece. Is that because you can read minds?"

"Nope. I've the ability to read minds, but I made the decision not to do it long ago. But I can sense other people's feelings, although sometimes they are too confused or too dulled, and I can't make sense of them. I know why you are here 'cause I know you…and how curious you are."

"Yeah…besides you told me we would talk as long I wish…so here I am."

Gibbs' breath caught in his throat as, of all the places he could have sat on, Tony picked the low coffee table near the couch. The human sat down right in front of Gibbs, and the space between the table and the couch was so narrow their knees and shins touched when Tony leant forward.

They looked at each other for a while, then Tony began to talk. "So, you ready for our long talk? I hope so, because there is a lot of stuff I'm curious about.

Gibbs just nodded. "Shoot."

"Okay…First thing: tell me again more about your kind," Tony asked, as he shifted his position on the table to get more comfortable.

Gibbs collected his thoughts and said, "Energoids landed here on Earth after they had to abandon their home planet. A supernova was about to explode, and it would destroy their world. Earth was chosen because its inhabitants were – are- very similar to my people, thus making easier to mingle and integrate with them. We think our ancestors used to be very much like humans; that would explain why Energoids have teeth and hair…when we don't need them."

Tony frowned for a moment, then nodded slowly, silently encouraging him to go on.

"We're made of energy…very similar to electric power, yet different. More stable. It courses inside us like blood and gives us shape and density as flesh and bones and skin do for humans."

"But I saw you bleed when you got shot!" Tony exclaimed.

"Yeah, you did. When I assume my human form, I become human inside and outside, with bones, blood, organs, skin…I can even eat and digest food and drinks, something I enjoy a lot, even if sunlight is my true source of sustenance."

"I see…" Tony murmured, studying his face. A long moment of silence, then, "Are you immortal?"

"Yes and no."

Tony threw him a dirty look and Gibbs elaborated, "We're basically immortal in our true form…barring nuclear and supernovas explosions and black holes we can live forever as long there is sunlight. However, we're mortal in our human shape. As I said, when we take the human shape, we truly become humans, thus capable of receiving lethal injuries. The only difference is that we cannot get sick and that we can rejuvenate our human form when necessary." There was also that other, more intimate difference that came into play when he had sex with a human, but it wasn't the time to mention it.

Tony shook his head. "I-I…This is so amazing, Boss. Uh…Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would say you're fooling me…I've observed a lot you these past days…you're still the same…dedicated, skilled, strong, protective, impatient… still the Leroy Jethro Gibbs I know."

"Because I am Leroy Jethro Gibbs," Gibbs said fiercely, leaning forward to be closer to Tony as he stared straight into his eyes, feeling extremely pleased when the human didn't flitch at the closeness or tried to distance himself. "This form or the other…it's still me, Tony. My personality is still the same…even if you might come to discover I'm more readable in my Energoid form."

"How?" Tony asked, his eyes flashing with interest.

Gibbs smiled as he pulled back to sit straighter, "I'd prefer if you discovered it by yourself…"

Tony gave him another dirty look, but since Gibbs didn't budge, he sighed and said, "Okay. Now, next question: how long have you loved me?"

"Since Baltimore," Gibbs answered simply.

"What?!" Tony exclaimed, stunned.

"Since Baltimore. Since the moment you slammed me down and pointed your gun at me."

"But you didn't even know my name!"

"I sensed your energy, felt the power of your emotions. You were still…so pure, still innocent despite your line of work…and I fell for that."

"Oh." Tony was clearly surprised by his answer. Then he laughed again, nervously. "This is so bizarre…but also beautiful."

Gibbs frowned. "Beautiful?"

"Yeah…you basically told me you loved me at first sight, but not because of how I looked, but for how I felt…"

"And still feel," Gibbs confirmed with a nod.

Tony looked extremely pleased for a while, then his face clouded and said, accusingly, "Yet you did nothing when you discovered I slept with EJ! You said nothing…You just quoted me Rule 12! Why didn't you fight for me if you love me so much?"

"Because," Gibbs stressed his every word, "I love you that much. I cannot give you the picket fence dream I know you have since Wendy broke the engagement. EJ can give that to you and your happiness has always been my priority.

Tony pursed his lips, before he asked, "Tell me, Boss: did I feel happy to you in these past weeks?"

Gibbs hesitated for a moment, then plunged on. "I confess I don't know. After that first morning, I strengthened my mental barriers to block you out…it was too painful to feel all that attraction and liking and contentment not directed at me. But you looked happy…very much so."

Tony sighed and lowered his head to look at his folded hands. Then he raised his eyes again and said softly, "Boss…Jethro…I'm not proud of what I'm gonna say but…I used EJ. I never really wanted her. Oh, she is exciting, smart, beautiful, and it felt good to know such a wonderful woman liked and wanted me…but I responded to her advances for only one reason: I wanted to make you jealous."

It was Gibbs' turn to let out a stunned "What?!"

"I wanted to see how you would react to me sleeping with another person. Wanted to see if you would lose that damned control you always have around me and tell me I'm yours and to stay away from her," Tony said, his eyes blazing.

"Why would you want that?"

"How can't you know?! You are the telepath!" Tony all but roared, half standing up from the table, "Because I love you, damn it!" He looked at Gibbs with burning eyes for several seconds, before he sat down again and continued with a calmer tone, "Not for as long as you loved me, but for a long time too. I wanted to see if we could be more than fuck buddies…If there was any hope for a future together…if there was a chance one day, after you retired from NCIS, you might ask me to move in with you."

"And now?" Gibbs asked his voice rough.

"Now?"

"You used the past sense."

"'Cause I was telling you why I slept with EJ—and that is in the past. I ended it this morning. You heard us."

"I repeat: and now? Do you still want those things?" Gibbs asked, needing to know for sure where they stood. Tony's emotions were again so confused and mingled together he had trouble reading them.

"Yeah."

A curt, firm answer that made Gibbs' human heart beat faster as his Energoid's core, the place where his people believed their souls resided, started to pulse wildly, "You still want it…even knowing what I am?"

Tony shrugged. "I said it before and you confirmed it. You're Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I admit your good looks were what first attracted me to you, but now I love you for who you are. For the person you are inside. If I stayed at NCIS for so long, it's because of whom you are, not because how handsome you are. But," and here Tony's face took a very serious expression, "if we start this, if we move on to a true relationship, I need to know you won't lie or omit to tell things to me anymore. Starting right from the reason every time we have sex you seem to hold back and never let me do things to you…I've wanted to give you a blow job for ages, yet you never allow me to do it. Don't you trust me? Do want to be in control so badly?"

Gibbs bent forward and took both of Tony's hands in his own, intertwining their fingers. "I do trust you, Tony," he said lowly but firmly, "And, no, I don't mind giving up control in bed. But you're right, I do hold back."

"Why?"

"Because I need you to get off first if I want to get off myself."

Tony frowned in confusion. "I don't think I understand."

"I need to explain you something about Energoids' biology…something that might be difficult to accept for you," Gibbs said gently.

"Tell me."

"Do you remember when you asked me if I was incorporeal?"

"Yeah. You told me you weren't…but that there is a moment when you can turn incorporeal…" Tony looked straight at Gibbs. "You meant during sex."

"Yes. When Energoids get aroused…the energy inside us becomes less…binding," Gibbs tried to explain in terms Tony could understand. We become more rarefied…incorporeal if you wish. And then we merge together…we join our essences…and find pleasure. A great amount of energy is released during the merging and if both Energoids want it, they can try to direct it to coalescence and create a youngling…That's how we conceive our children." Gibbs completed with a soft smile, remembering the night Kelly had been born after several failed attempts and the joy Shannon and he had felt when they held that small bundle of energy in their arms for the first time.

"You mean Energoids women don't have pregnancies? That children are created just like that?" Tony asked, snapping his fingers, "In an instant?"

Gibbs hesitated for a moment, then plunged on, not wanting to lie, not even by omission. "Tony…my people are, technically, genderless. There are no males or females. However, after their arrival on Earth, Energoids realized that their features and body type, once they changed in the corresponding human shape, would be perceived by the humans as male's or female's. So parents learned to understand which human gender their youngling's looks was more suitable for and encouraged their kids to take the corresponding human form, one they will keep for their entire existence. When two Energoids are attracted to each other, they don't care about the sex of each other's human shape. I'd have bonded with Shannon even if 'she' had been a 'he', and we would have had Kelly all the same. But I cannot deny that being seen as a 'normal' couple by human society made our life far simpler than it would have been had us been perceived as homosexuals."

Tony nodded slowly, "I understand…I think. It's a lot to take in."

"I know."

"But I can say this: I'm so glad your parents recognized you're male-looking, 'cause I cannot imagine you as a woman," Tony said with a smile.

"To be honest, me neither. The ways human sexes interact with each other, and the different roles human society attributes to each gender, influenced my upbringing and the way I developed. A female version of me would have still been me, but it would have been a different version of me. Does it make any sense?" Gibbs asked.

Tony nodded. "I guess the same could be said of me. I mean, Antonia DiNozzo would still be me, but very different." He stared ahead, lost in thought, then shuddered. "Let's drop it. Tell me more of your kids. If I understood correctly, they are born the very same moment they are conceived."

"Yes."

"But what happens next? I mean, human gestation lasts nine months and a child can hardly appear in a family from one moment to the next!"

"Our nature helps us with it. Younglings are very small at birth and need to stay in close contact with one of their parents for several months before they can take a human newborn's shape. This allows us to arrange for the appearance …of a swollen belly," Gibbs explained with a grin.

"Convenient."

"Very."

Silence fell over them, but it was comfortable, with no hint of uneasiness. Gibbs relaxed against the back of the couch as he left time to Tony to digest what he had heard. He could sense the human's confused emotions, and he left him the time to sort them out. In the meantime, he tried hard to restrain himself from drumming his fingers or finding some other way to release some of his tension. He believed what Tony had said, that he loved him. But he wasn't sure if Tony would be able to cope with all the information he had just received. It could be too much to accept.

So he let his mind wander, until he became aware of the strange way Tony was looking at him, and of the intense emotions battering against his mental barriers. Such a confused jumble of feelings that Gibbs found impossible to sort them out.

"What is it, Tony?" he asked, worried.

"I want you, Jethro. I want you to make love to me."

Gibbs' eyes widened in shock. Of course he had hoped Tony would want to be intimate with him again, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon… However, he recovered quickly from his surprise and leaning forward he aimed for Tony's lips, wanting to show him how happy he was to satisfy his human's request.

Tony's hand came up, blocking him. Gibbs looked at him, confused and the younger man murmured, "Wait. I want you to be with me as your true self. Can you do it? Do you want it too?"

"I want it Tony…but, are you sure you're gonna be okay with it?"

Tony shook his shoulders. "I don't know—but I want to try. I want to see what it feels like."

"All right," Gibbs agreed, "but you'll tell me if it gets to be too much for you."

"Okay."

Gibbs stood up and offered his hand to Tony, helping him to rise to his feet. Together, they walked up the stairs, and Gibbs could sense how excited but also how nervous Tony was. He felt exactly the same, and fervently hoped his human lover would like what was going to happen.

When they reached the bedroom, the two men looked at each other for a moment, then they stepped forward at the same time and fell into each other's arms. They hadn't touched or kissed for more than two months, but even if they were quite starved for intimacy, they still took the time to move forward without rushing.

They took time to properly rediscover each other's taste and feel, possibly because they both felt this was different from all the other times they had had sex. It wasn't just because of what they were about to do, but also because they knew they were no longer fuck buddies but true lovers now.

When their clothes became too constricting and annoying, they stepped back and undressed each other. Then they moved to the bed, where they resumed their kissing and caressing, rediscovering all the places that made them sigh and moan with pleasure.

Gibbs could feel his excitement rise, even stronger than usual and after yet another deep kiss, he pulled back from Tony and asked, "Ready?"

His lover nodded firmly. "Ready."

Gibbs changed to his Energoid form, his silvery, luminous body casting light over the human's golden skin. He stayed still as Tony studied his face, first with his eyes and then with his fingertips. The light touch felt wonderful, but even more wonderful was to sense the emotions coming from Tony: amazement, wonder, fascination…and not a hint of fear or disgust.

"You're beautiful, Jethro," Tony murmured. "Your skin, your hair…they look the same but fell smoother, softer. And you are so bright…Hey, what's going on? You are pinkish now…"

Gibbs ducked his head and cleared his voice, "I'm…uhm…embarrassed."

"Don't be."

Tony resumed his exploration, skimming his fingers along his neck, shoulders and chest, and Gibbs closed his eyes to better focus on the sensations the touch stirred inside him. He felt static electricity tickle along his limbs as his inner temperature rose. He wondered if Tony could feel it and if he found it pleasurable…

A sudden gasp made Gibbs open his eyes and look at Tony's startled green ones. It took him a moment to realize what had caused the shock he could sense in his lover. Lost in pleasure as he had been, he hadn't been aware Tony's hand had slipped down his body and reached his groin.

Gibbs swallowed hard and asked as Tony slowly retracted his hand, "Are you okay with it? Do you want me to change forms?"

"No, no," Tony answered with a nervous smile. "No…it's just I wasn't expecting that…" A deep breath, then, "I like this body…it's wonderful and exciting…because it's you…but Jethro…I didn't think genderless meant this…I think I'll need some time to get used to your lack of… uhm…equipment."

Gibbs nodded in understanding. "Then, until you do…why don't you focus just on my upper body…I'm very sensitive there…"

"Good idea…"

Tony pulled Gibbs down on him, the awkward moment rapidly forgotten as they resumed their lovemaking. Their kisses got harder, with teeth clashing and biting, as their touches got rougher. Gibbs pressed down on Tony, using his weight to put pressure over his lover's hard cock, rocking his hips to give to the human the friction he needed.

His own body was now crackling with energy, and heat was oozing out of him. "It's happening," he panted.

Tony opened his eyes and looked up at him. "You're silvery-white now…I can see through you..." he whispered in wonder.

"Yeah..." Gibbs smiled and then he gently raised a hand and posed it on Tony's bare shoulder. His translucent fingers passed through his lover's body, and he asked, "Do you feel something?"

Gibbs grinned back and relaxed. He put both his hands over Tony's chest, caressing him and watched avidly as his lover writhed on the bed, clearly enjoying the sensations Gibbs was causing.

When Gibbs could no longer stand his own arousal and his body was practically transparent, he rolled atop of Tony and pushed inside. He cried out as his body fully merged with his lover, shouting aloud his pleasure and joy. He had not been able to become fully part of his lover since Shannon and the feelings were quickly overwhelming him.

Barely hanging onto his control, Gibbs stretched out his senses, trying to understand if Tony was all right.

His lover's panting, lust-filled voice, which Gibbs felt rather than heard, told him the younger man was more than right.

"Jethro...this feels so good…but...do something...I'm on fire..."

Tony moaned and clawed at the sheets, pulling at them and thrashed his head in pleasurable agony.

Gritting his teeth, Gibbs found Tony's pleasure centers in his brain and delivered tiny electric shocks against them. Tony's reaction was explosive: he shouted aloud and came, arching so violently off the bed that only his head and his feet remained in contact with the mattress. Gibbs had barely the time to feel a bout of satisfaction that the energy released by Tony's climax zapped along his nerves, invaded him from every direction, and his world ceased to exist as he came harder than he had in decades.

When Gibbs regained consciousness, his body was again solid and sprawled over Tony's. His lover's arms and legs were wrapped around him, as if the younger man was afraid he would move away.

He opened his eyes and raised his head, just that little bit he needed to be able to look at Tony's face.

"Tony?" he whispered when he saw his lover's eyes were closed.

"Uhm…"

"You okay?"

"Never better…" came the breathy answer a second before Tony's green, dazed eyes opened. He licked his lips and murmured, "Jethro…Boss…that was really something…never felt anything like that…it was like being kissed…stroked…sucked…everywhere at the same time…"

"I stimulated the pleasure centers in your brain…Did you like it?"

"What an idiotic question…I loved it…but it wasn't just that…right after I came…I felt an incredible… bout… of wellbeing… warmth… joy… What it was?" Tony panted.

Gibbs grinned, "That was me. I came right after you."

"Oh…" Tony's eyes all but glowed with excitement. "That was your orgasm? The release of energy you told me about? The one that creates children?"

"Yes."

"Wow! That was amazing." Tony loosened his hold around Gibbs' back and hips, but didn't let him go. "I'm so glad I ended it with EJ, 'cause I could never be with her again after this—hey, why are you orange-ish now?"

"That's jealousy, DiNozzo," Gibbs growled. "Don't ever mention her or any other woman when we are like this…"

"I thought jealousy was supposed to be green," Tony retorted with a cheeky smile, earning a glare from Gibbs. "Come on, calm down. Orange doesn't suit you." His lover rubbed his hand over his tense back, and Gibbs relaxed, returning to his normal silver.

"Now I understand what you meant with being more readable… You change color according to your emotions…"

"Yeah…"

"Can't you control it?"

"Nope."

"Then I guess it will be fun to discover all your colors, although there are some I hope to never see…" Tony murmured.

"Which ones?"

"Sadness for one. Anger too—if it's directed at me, that is."

Gibbs rolled off to settle at Tony's side and answered, "Sadness is grey. Anger is red…"

"So they are consistent with the human sayings: 'seeing red with anger', 'living a grey existence'…" Tony mused, as if he was talking to himself. Then he turned on his side and propped his head up with his elbow, looking down at Gibbs with and intent expression. "Let's talk about something else."

"Such as?"

"How long does it take for you to be ready to go again in this form?" Tony asked with a sultry tone, as one of his fingers circled the older man's right nipple. "Do you need to recharge or something?"

"I'm not a battery, DiNozzo," Gibbs retorted, sarcastic. Then he added in a smug tone, "I'm ready to go again now. And you, Lover Boy?"

He didn't wait for an answer, but pulled Tony's head down and kissed him, knowing that by the time he would be ready to merge again, his younger lover would be too.

Tony's response was immediate; he rolled half on top of Gibbs and took his head in his hands, keeping him still as they kissed, tongues battling together. Gibbs answered by embracing Tony and raking his fingertips down his lover's back, an action that never failed to make the younger man shiver with pleasure.

Tony growled softly and pressed his growing erection against Gibbs' belly as they continued to kiss and caress each other.

It was more rushed this time, wilder, because neither of them was holding back. There was no hesitation, no fear Tony might freak out or be hurt. This time they were both free to fully follow their instinct, and they did.

Within mere minutes Gibbs' color changed to bright silver and his whole body started to pulsate in rhythm with his core as heat and electricity zapped along his nerves. Feeling Tony leaking profusely against his belly, he pushed against his lover's shoulders to make him recline so they could properly merge, but Tony didn't budge. Instead he asked in a rough voice, "Can I…slip in you?"

"You want to?" Gibbs replied, surprised.

"Yes…Want to see it feel different from last time…That okay?"

Gibbs nodded, as a shiver of excitement coursed along his body. He was thrilled Tony had liked their previous merging so much he already wanted to try new things.

"I'll tell you when…" he whispered, arching his head off the pillow to kiss Tony. Then he lay down again and watched with hooded eyes as his lover continued to caress and stroke him, his hand roaming his body with a wonderful mix of confidence and curiosity. Static energy crackled along Gibbs' body more and more frequently as his body prepared for the merging and he moaned and writhed on the bed, unashamed by his need and loss of control. Tony had asked him to stop holding back and he did just that.

"Now Tony!" he commanded when the moment came and his lover, his beloved human, didn't hesitate. He straddled his body supporting his weight on his forearms and knees and slowly lowered himself inside Gibbs, their eyes remaining locked together until they could no longer physically look at each other.

Gibbs cried out when Tony merged fully with him; it felt different from when he had slipped inside his lover, but equally good. So good he started shaking and trembling in the effort to hold on long enough to stimulate Tony's pleasure centers…but he couldn't. Tony's energy was too strong, too sweet, too good to resist…He came, his core expanding and then imploding, releasing a discharge of warmth and pleasure that coursed along his whole being, overwhelming him with so much ecstasy he blacked out.

When he regained his consciousness, it was at the sound of Tony's frantic voice calling his name. "Boss? Come on, wake up…please Jethro, you're scaring me…"

He opened his eyes, blinked and saw Tony visibly relax. "Boss!" he exclaimed happily. "Thank God! I was afraid I had hurt you…"

Tony's face was split by a shit-eating grin. "I came so hard I blacked out too…Uhm…experiencing your orgasm was incredible…Gives a whole new meaning to the words 'white-hot pleasure'…"

"Good…"

They smiled at each other and then they both yawned, almost at the same time. Gibbs realized he was exhausted. The two bouts of wonderful sex after the emotional trauma and the fatigue of the previous week had drained him of all his strength, and Tony didn't look much better.

Together they pulled and pushed at the covers until they could slip beneath them without rising from the bed and switched off the light. Tony laughed softly as the room went dark but for Gibbs' glowing body.

"Uhm, Jethro?"

"Yes?" Gibbs answered as he stretched on his back with a satisfied groan.

"I'm not a lamp, DiNozzo," Gibbs growled, but he wasn't irritated. "However, I can do this." He shifted to his human form, plunging the room in darkness. "Okay?"

"Very…" Tony murmured, as he settled his head over Gibbs' shoulder and surrounded his waist with an arm. "I love this form too…I love you."

"I love you too," Gibbs whispered, a small thrill cursing along his body upon hearing again those three words he had never thought he would hear from Tony.

A moment later, Tony's body went limp and his energy's levels dipped, signaling he was fast asleep.

Gibbs kissed the top of his lover's head and closed his eyes. He too fell asleep with a smile on his face, because this was the first time they would sleep together for the whole night…and it was just the beginning. He had no idea of what life had in store for them, but he knew that they would face it together, partners in every sense of the word

THE END

.

A/N: As I stated at the start of this story, this probably is my final writing in the NCIS fandom. It was written in the week between the airing of "Swan Song" and "Pyramid" and was polished after I saw the latter episode.

It was May 2011 and since then, I've not written a single line, in this or other fandoms. I believe it is caused by the emotionally hard period I had, so I'm hopeful my muse will return sooner or later. However, the problem with NCIS is deeper. Not only I've no interest in writing about it, I also have no interest in reading about it, and since I write the "stories I would like to read", you can understand why I say this is in all probability my last story in this fandom. My interest as reader has switched to another fandom and knowing me, I will most likely write for that fandom when my muse returns.

Hence this is probably a goodbye. I want to thank all the readers that followed and reviewed all my stories. I really appreciate that, as most readers don't bother with reviews. It is because of you if "Reconnection" had so many sequels, and the same goes for "The Perfect Match" and "Bosavian Fever".

So THANK YOU, Readers Of Mine, for making my time as NCIS writer so enjoyable and pleasurable.

Sincerely

Ilaria AKA Gunnery Sergeant

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.